#12: How Not To Fool Yourself? The Feynman Technique.

Hi,

I'm happy you want to invest in your brain. That's a smart choice. As always, I've got 4 Brain Nutrients for you:

• One Short Article: Feynman Technique

• Two Quotes.

• One Neuroscience Fact: One-Trail Learning.

Enjoy!

One Short Article: Feynman Technique

"Anyone can make a subject complicated, but only someone who understands can make it simple." Shane Parish.

Previously I talked about my biggest learning mistakes. I also explained how to learn faster using active recall. Today, I'll explore The Feynman Technique.

Richard Feynman was a Nobel Prize-winning physicist. But his ability to explain complex concepts distinguished him from other world-class scientists. People call him The Great Explainer. He famously said:

"Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. The first principle is that you must not fool yourself. And you are the easiest person to fool."

How not to fool yourself?

The Feynman Technique consists of four steps.

1. Choose the concept you want to learn about

2. Explain it to a 12-year-old

3. Refine and Simplify

4. Check if others understand

Choose the concept.

Take a blank piece of paper and write the name of the concept on top of it. Write down everything you know about the topic.

If needed, use:

• examples

• analogies

• equations

• simple drawings

Keep the note open-ended. When you learn something new, add it. Use different colors to see how it evolves.

Explain it to a 12-year-old.

Keep three rules in mind:

• zero jargon or complexity

• only simple words

• only simple terms

Jargon hides gaps in understanding. It tricks you into believing you understand something you don't. Simple words help you detect the gaps.

Fill in the gaps you identified.

Refine and Simplify.

Remember the rules from the previous step. When we learn a topic, we often use words we may not understand. Review your note to verify if you understand every single word.

Ensure the note is jargon-free.

Check if others understand.

Explain the topic to others. If they understand, your note is good. If they don't, ask them what's unclear. Did they ask questions? Write them down.

Go through steps 1-3 again.

• Can you find better examples?

• Can you find more intuitive analogies?

• Can you simplify the language?

The technique is simple but not easy. It requires patience and creativity. But it is a one-time investment that pays off forever. I highly recommend using it to learn new concepts.

Two Quotes

• "You only ever get to feel certain about the future once it's already turned into the past." Oliver Burkeman, Four Thousand Weeks

• "Why is it so hard to make friends as an adult? Because everyone worth knowing has something better to do." Mark Manson

One Neuroscience Fact: One-Trial Learning.

Rewiring your brain takes time and many repetitions. But there's an exception. One-trial learning is a single experience that changes your nervous system forever. Usually, it comes from a painful incident like touching a hot stove. The associated suffering sends strong signals to the brain. And the brain ensures you'll never make that mistake again.

Thanks for reading. See you next week.

Keep your brain in mind.

Kris

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